Elements of Harmony (My Little Pony)

The Elements of Harmony are the most powerful defensive tool that exists within Equestria, and one of the most frequently used sources of power accessed by the MLP Loopers whenever they need to end some sort of strife. Due to how closely the Loopers have been able to bond with the elements, they have gained the ability to summon them at will.

The Elements of Harmony are capable of doing a number of things provided the target qualifies as 'unharmonious'. They work on most entities, but it is worth noting that they don't always work on everything. Most notably the Smooze has been identified as highly resistant to them and, depending on the variant, even capable of depowering the elements.

Purification - Returns the target to a state of harmony with themselves. The particulars are uncertain, but it does often leave the target in an emotionally vulnerable state as a result of coming to terms with what they've done.

Depowering - Often goes with purification when the target is in possession of powers that are unbalancing them.

Banishment - If purification is not possible, banishment (usually to the moon or sun) is the next most likely option.

Petrification - Mostly with Discord, but the Elements can turn highly unstable and dangerous entities to stone.

Protection - Not one of the more commonly used abilities, but the Elements are capable of protecting the bearers and others around them from even extremely powerful destructive forces.

Salient Powers - Each of the elements can grant an attuned bearer certain abilities even apart from the other five. (With thanks to MasterWeaver)

Honesty - Honesty is the one that keeps the other elements grounded, a firm root without which the bearers would go mad. Applejack was the SECOND looper for a reason, and Gilda cuts away the chaff; Nyx deals with her identity as Nightmare Moon not by denying it, but by acknowledging it isn't all she is. Honesty bearers, therefore, dispel illusions on multiple levels and helps get to the crux of things.

Loyalty - Loyalty keeps the elements together, bringing them under one roof and serving at will. Rainbow Dash wouldn't leave her friends hanging and even helps out new buddies; Spike cannot fathom betraying Twilight (or Rarity) and Scootaloo is the driving force behind the Expanded Crusaders. In order to bring them together, Loyalty's bearers can precisely locate other bearers (though stellar distances have shown a degradation of effect).

Kindness - Kindness tempers the other elements, preventing them from delving into evil. Fluttershy is the established Friendship Ninja, raising Leman Russ and redeeming Discord (not to mention what she did for Leah and Chrysalis); Chrysalis does what is best for everyone and Silver Spoon helped out with Kakashi. Kindness's ability is empathy with darkness, understanding where others won't, so they can bring friends onto the side of good. Kindness further allows the Bearer to become an omniglot, understanding and speaking every language.

Generosity - Generosity is the seeking element, the one that causes the others to reach out. Rarity gives without a moment's thought; Zecora prepares her potion without ever demanding pay, and Diamond Tiara will make sure any gift of hers is perfect. Generosity, therefore, can sense the weakness in others, allowing the bearers to know just what needs to be shored up. It also provides a minor healing aid to the wearer (though not as potent as an actual healing spell).

Laughter - Laughter is the element of optimism, the fuel source that cheers ponies up and keeps them going. You can see the different personalities in Sweetie, Pinkie, and Berry are all centered around enthusing people. Thus, Laughter's bearers can project a positive probability field; Pinkie has mastered it to a chaotic degree, but Berry uses it to help mix otherwise unstable drinks and Sweetie always knows the right song to sing.

Magic - Magic, the one that balances all the others and makes them something more. Friendship is magic, and magic is friendship. Twilight Sparkle accommodates her companions, Trixie lives for her audiences, and Apple Bloom will drop everything to take commissioned projects. The powers of Magic increase intellect, so the ponies in the bearer's heart are always given the greatest consideration of the mind.

In a fused Loop with the Megaverse, it was discovered that the Elements could be made to fire in 'reverse', using darker personality aspects closely related to the normal light personality aspects along complimentary lines. This had never been discovered before due to such a thing never being needed prior to that very Loop (and was only needed then due to a fused version of Tirek from MLP G1 and the superweapon Sunstar from the Megaverse being immune to the light magic normally used by the elements).

The usual manifestation of the Elements can be used this way to fire a 'Rainbow of Shadows', since all light is as unharmonious as all darkness, but they do so under protest. A later Loop in the Equestrian branch manifested a set of elements designed to operate this way normally.

The reversed elements are as follows:

Suspicion - Reversed Loyalty, being aware of things that could harm your friends and allies and questioning them as they appear.

Deception - Reversed Honesty, cultivating an understanding of how what is true and what isn't can become mixed up in one's perceptions.

Ferocity - Reversed Kindness, instead of protecting through care and healing, one protects by fighting off threats.

Ambition - Reversed Generosity, rather than focusing on helping others improve, the focus is on self improvement.

Sorrow - Reversed Laughter, where the importance of bonds becomes clear not in the shared joy, but in the tears shed when those bonds are lost.

Magic - As friendship, Magic is about discovery and sharing experiences and learned lessons with others, but reversed it is about secrets kept to oneself and the inherent power in things only you know.

While there is no canonical seventh element of harmony, there does seem to have been a fairly large number of variants in which there was a seventh (or more) element in existence. These 'seventh' elements never retain power outside their Loop of origin, becoming little more than nifty trinkets or keepsakes with sentimental value only.

Individuals have been shown acquiring more than one Element. However, only their first Element is permanently bonded to them; later Elements don't last beyond the Loop in which they initially occur. This is shown when Trixie (Bearer of Magic) temporarily became a Bearer of Laughter, and when Cheerilee (Bearer of Generosity) temporarily became a Bearer of Magic.

Visiting Loopers have been shown as Bearers of Harmony. For the most part, this status doesn't last outside the Loop of origin, with the only known exception being the Warhammer Generation, due to their native Loop having been jumpstarted by a Fused Loop with Equestria.

Known visiting Loopers to have used an Element for one Loop include:

The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation: Captain Jean-Luc Picard - Magic; Commander William T. Riker - Generosity; Lieutenant Commander Data - Honesty; Lieutenant Worf - Loyalty; Counselor Troi - Kindness; and Wesley - Laughter. This group is specifically identified as having returned their Elements (which had merged with the users' respective combadges) to the Tree of Harmony after one use, in order to help restore Equestria (which had become a frozen wasteland in that Loop).